Journal of Genetic Counseling Editor-In-Chief Position Description

The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) is seeking candidates for the position of Editor-In-Chief-in-Chief of the Journal of Genetic Counseling(JOGC) effective January 1, 2018.

Subject to NSGC Board of Directors approval, the Editor-In-Chief is responsible for assembling a team of associate Editor-In-Chiefs, selecting new editorial board members, setting the editorial scope and vision for the JOGC, and overseeing the annual publication of 6 issues.

The Editor-In-Chief is appointed for a 5-year term, potentially renewable at the discretion of the NSGC Board of Directors.

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest including a 300 word summary describing interest in the Editor-In-Chief position and thoughts on future advancements for JOGC. Candidates must also include a curriculum vita, and conflict of interest disclosure no later than Friday, December 15, 2016 at 5:00 pm CST.

The Ad Hoc Editor Search Committee, led by Sara Riordan, MS, CGC, will select top candidates from the pool of applicants who have submitted a letter of interest and required materials. These top candidates will be invited to participate in an in-person interview with the Ad Hoc Editor Search Committee at NSGC’s Executive Office, or in another location to be determined, in or around March of 2017.

The NSGC Ad Hoc Editor Search Committee will recommend a candidate for approval by the NSGC Board of Directors in May 2017. The selected candidate will begin working as Editor-Elect with the Editor-in-Chief and the JOGC editorial office team in July 2017, and will assume the full responsibilities of Editor-in-Chief on January 1, 2018.

Background

The Journal of Genetic Counseling (JOGC) is the flagship journal of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and is the leading journal focusing exclusively on genetic counseling. JOGC is published six times per year. Peer review and overall management of the publication are performed electronically and through the JOGCeditorial office, currently located at the University of Minnesota. JOGC is currently published in collaboration with Springer.

Mission

NSGC’s mission is to advance the various roles of genetic counselors in health care by fostering education, research, and public policy to ensure the availability of quality genetic services.

Scope

The JOGC, published for the National Society of Genetic Counselors, is a timely, international forum addressing all aspects of genetic counseling. The journal focuses on the critical questions and problems that arise at the interface between rapidly advancing technical developments and the concerns of individuals at genetic risk. The publication provides genetic counselors, medical social workers, medical and laboratory geneticists, and other health educators with a premier resource.

The main focus of the work published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling is the ethical, psychosocial and clinical aspects of genetics and genetic counseling and the implications for teaching, research and service provision.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates will be active in the genetic counseling community and have a strong record of published research as primary author. Qualified candidates will have a graduate degree with training in genetic counseling. Full membership in NSGC is required. Certification by the American Board of Genetic Counseling, American Board of Medical Genetics or Canadian Association of Genetic Counseling is preferred.

Qualified candidates will have familiarity with major researchers, institutions, and resources and a desire to set the standard for intellectual rigor in the discipline. Knowledge of clinical research design and basic concepts of statistics and ethics of research; administrative and editorial skills, including familiarity with online peer review systems; capacity for detailed and deadline-dependent work; an understanding of the national and international community of genetic counselor researchers and practitioners; and strong interpersonal, communication and writing skills are strongly preferred.

The Editor-In-Chief must possess the energy and vision to sustain and further develop the Journal as a leading forum in genetic counseling, delivering timely and accurate information to this and related topics. Candidates should be willing to make a 5 year commitment. It is expected that the candidate will comply with NSGC’s conflict of interest guidelines.

Support for the Editor-In-Chief

Funding is available to support the efforts of the Editor-in-Chief and her/his editorial team and to handle all aspects of the manuscript submission, peer review and editing process. Compensation will be negotiated with the Editor-in-Chief or her/his institution to offset the time and effort involved in this position. The Editor-In-Chief position is supported by the Publisher and Managing Editor at Springer.

Work closely with Springer on journal development to raise JOGC’s impact and advance the profession of genetic counseling.

Encourage and solicit the submission of relevant, original, high?quality manuscripts for JOGCand act as an ambassador for JOGC.

Establish and manage your editorial office to efficiently and effectively oversee theJOGCpeer review and publication process, and ensure the content and quality of each issue.

Define and update the aims and scope of JOGC in order to enhance its relevance and usage.

Work with the editorial office to maintain and administerJOGCeditorial policies and procedures, and to revise them or establish new policies as appropriate, subject to NSGC Board approval, to reflect relevant changes and best practices in research, clinical practice, and scholarly publishing.

Recruit, select, and appoint associate editors as needed (including associate, managing, assistant, and contributing editors, special issue editors, editorial board members, and others), to represent the depth and breadth of genetic counseling and related disciplines. The editorial board should comprise members with high stature and respect in the genetic counseling community, and with the technical expertise sufficient to oversee the content of submitted articles.

Recruit, select, and train reviewers as needed.

Monitor the peer review process to ensure that appropriate and well?defined procedures for timely review are unbiased and faithfully executed; and maintain the integrity and confidentiality of authors’ work while it is under evaluation for publication.

Review any proposals and initiatives submitted to JOGCfor suitability, applicability, and interest to JOGC

Select articles suitable for the scope of JOGC and interest level of readers, and make decisions with the advice and recommendations of other editors and peer reviewers.